Login Register Cart 0
Generic placeholder image

Current Nutraceuticals

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 2665-9786
ISSN (Online): 2665-9794

Back
Journal Home About Journal Editorial Board Current Issue Volumes/Issues
Subscribe
Research Article

Evaluation of Anti-Depressant Potential of Standardized Hydroethanolic Extract of S. barbata D. Don Using Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress Model

Author(s): Arzoo Pannu* and Ramesh K. Goyal

Volume 5, 2024

Published on: 06 August, 2024

Article ID: e26659786304405 Pages: 19

DOI: 10.2174/0126659786304405240709114804

Price: $65

conference banner
Abstract

Background: S. barbata D. Don is a Chinese herb, that belongs to the family Lamiaceae. It has established traditional use in ethnomedicine for treating various ailments, including mood disorders and sleep disorders, which led to growing interest in exploring its neurological potential, particularly as a potential anti-depressant agent.

Aims: This study explores the anti-depressant potential of the HSBE utilizing a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress-induced depression model in mice. Additionally, the research aims to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of action.

Methods: Swiss albino mice were subjected to a 3-week CUMS paradigm and subsequently administered HSBE at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg via oral administration. The behavioral alterations were evaluated using the FST, TST, OFT, and SPT. Brain levels of serotonin, dopamine, and nor-epinephrine were estimated in different brain regions (cortex, hippocampus, and hypothalamus) to uncover the molecular mechanism. Additionally, assays for monoamine oxidase- A, monoamine oxidase-B, and antioxidant enzyme activities were conducted. Plasma nitrite and corticosterone levels were also measured to get further insight into potential mechanisms underlying the anti-depressant effects of HSBE.

Results: HSBE significantly ameliorated depressive-like behavior induced by CUMS paradigm, as evidenced by reduced immobility in FST and TST, increased locomotor activity in OFT, and improved sucrose preference in SPT. Neurochemical analysis revealed a significant increase in serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine levels in the cortex, hippocampus, and hypothalamus of HSBE-treated mice, implying a potential regulation of monoaminergic neurotransmitter levels. Moreover, biochemical analyses demonstrated a significant inhibition of both MAO-A and MAO-B activity, contributing to the increase of the brain levels of neurotransmitters. The administration of HSBE also led to a significant enhancement of antioxidant enzyme activities and reduced brain lipid peroxidation, indicating a pronounced antioxidant effect of HSBE. Furthermore, decreased plasma nitrite and corticosterone levels provided additional insights into HSBE's potential multi-targeted anti-depressant mechanism.

Conclusion: This study indicates that HSBE exhibits robust anti-depressant properties, supported by behavioral, neurochemical, and biochemical alterations. These findings underscore the therapeutic promise of HSBE as a natural intervention for depressive disorders, warranting further clinical exploration.

Keywords: Depression, Scutellaria barbata d. don, traditional chinese medicine, flavonoids, anti-oxidant, anti-depressant.

[1]
World Health Organization. 2023. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression
[2]
Woody, C.A.; Ferrari, A.J.; Siskind, D.J.; Whiteford, H.A.; Harris, M.G. A systematic review and meta-regression of the prevalence and incidence of perinatal depression. J. Affect. Disord., 2017, 219, 86-92.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2017.05.003] [PMID: 28531848]
[3]
Ferguson, J.M. SSRI antidepressant medications: Adverse effects and tolerability. Prim. Care Companion J. Clin. Psychiatry, 2001, 3(1), 22-27.
[PMID: 15014625]
[4]
Braund, T.A.; Tillman, G.; Palmer, D.M.; Gordon, E.; Rush, A.J.; Harris, A.W.F. Antidepressant side effects and their impact on treatment outcome in people with major depressive disorder: An iSPOT-D report. Transl. Psychiatry, 2021, 11(1), 417.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41398-021-01533-1] [PMID: 34349116]
[5]
Saha, K.; Torous, J.; Kiciman, E.; De Choudhury, M. Understanding side effects of antidepressants: Large-scale longitudinal study on social media data. JMIR Ment. Health, 2021, 8(3), e26589.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/26589] [PMID: 33739296]
[6]
Chen, Q.; Rahman, K.; Wang, S.J.; Zhou, S.; Zhang, H. Scutellaria barbata: A review on chemical constituents, pharmacological activities and clinical applications. Curr. Pharm. Des., 2020, 26(1), 160-175.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612825666191216124310] [PMID: 31840605]
[7]
Wang, L.; Chen, W.; Li, M.; Zhang, F.; Chen, K.; Chen, W. A review of the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and quality control of Scutellaria barbata D. Don. J. Ethnopharmacol., 2020, 254, 112260.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2019.112260] [PMID: 31577937]
[8]
Pannu, A.; Goyal, R.K. Pharmacognostical characterization of whole scutellaria barbata herb for quality control assessment. Innovat Int J Medical & Pharma Sci., 2021, 6(4), 1-5.
[9]
Pannu, A.; Goyal, R.K. Safety study of hydroethanol extract of scutellaria barbata d. Don in albino swiss mice as per OECD guidelines 425. Innovat Int J Medical & Pharma Sci., 2022, 7(2), 16-21.
[10]
Dhingra, D.; Bhankher, A. Behavioral and biochemical evidences for antidepressant-like activity of palmatine in mice subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stress. Pharmacol. Rep., 2014, 66(1), 1-9.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pharep.2013.06.001] [PMID: 24905299]
[11]
Dhingra, D.; Deepak, D. Antidepressant-like activity of flowers of Tecomella undulata in mice subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stress. Asian J. Pharm. Clin. Res., 2019, 12(1), 130-138.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.22159/ajpcr.2019.v12i1.28981]
[12]
Dhingra, D.; Valecha, R. Evaluation of the antidepressant-like activity of Convolvulus pluricaulis choisy in the mouse forced swim and tail suspension tests. Med. Sci. Monit., 2007, 13(7), BR155-BR161.
[PMID: 17599020]
[13]
Charles, M.; McEwan, J. MAO activity in rabbit serum. In: Methods in enzymology; Academic Press: New York and London, 1977; XVIIB, pp. 692-698.
[14]
Schurr, A.; Livne, A. Differential inhibition of mitochondrial monoamine oxidase from brain by hashish components. Biochem. Pharmacol., 1976, 25(10), 1201-1203.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0006-2952(76)90369-5] [PMID: 938542]
[15]
Stahl, W.; Sies, H. β-Carotene and other carotenoids in protection from sunlight. Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 2012, 96(5), 1179S-1184S.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.034819] [PMID: 23053552]
[16]
Misra, H.P.; Fridovich, I. The role of superoxide anion in the autoxidation of epinephrine and a simple assay for superoxide dismutase. J. Biol. Chem., 1972, 247(10), 3170-3175.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9258(19)45228-9] [PMID: 4623845]
[17]
Aebi, H. Catalase in vitro. Methods Enzymol., 1984, 105, 121-126.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0076-6879(84)05016-3] [PMID: 6727660]
[18]
Ohkawa, H.; Ohishi, N.; Yagi, K. Assay for lipid peroxides in animal tissues by thiobarbituric acid reaction. Anal. Biochem., 1979, 95(2), 351-358.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(79)90738-3] [PMID: 36810]
[19]
Green, L.C.; Wagner, D.A.; Glogowski, J.; Skipper, P.L.; Wishnok, J.S.; Tannenbaum, S.R. Analysis of nitrate, nitrite, and [15N]nitrate in biological fluids. Anal. Biochem., 1982, 126(1), 131-138.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(82)90118-X] [PMID: 7181105]
[20]
Bartos, J.; Pesez, M. Colorimetric and fluorimetric determination of steroids. Pure Appl. Chem., 1979, 51(10), 2157-2169.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1351/pac197951102157]
[21]
Cryan, J.F.; Markou, A.; Lucki, I. Assessing antidepressant activity in rodents: Recent developments and future needs. Trends Pharmacol. Sci., 2002, 23(5), 238-245.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0165-6147(02)02017-5] [PMID: 12008002]
[22]
Detke, M.J.; Rickels, M.; Lucki, I. Active behaviors in the rat forced swimming test differentially produced by serotonergic and noradrenergic antidepressants. Psychopharmacology, 1995, 121(1), 66-72.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02245592] [PMID: 8539342]
[23]
Hasler, G. Pathophysiology of depression: Do we have any solid evidence of interest to clinicians? World Psychiatry, 2010, 9(3), 155-161.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.2051-5545.2010.tb00298.x] [PMID: 20975857]
[24]
Zakaria, F.H.; Samhani, I.; Mustafa, M.Z.; Shafin, N. Pathophysiology of depression: Stingless bee honey promising as an antidepressant. Molecules, 2022, 27(16), 5091.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules27165091] [PMID: 36014336]
[25]
Tian, H.; Hu, Z.; Xu, J.; Wang, C. The molecular pathophysiology of depression and the new therapeutics. MedComm, 2022, 3(3), e156.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mco2.156] [PMID: 35875370]
[26]
Katrenčíková, B.; Vaváková, M.; Paduchová, Z.; Nagyová, Z.; Garaiova, I.; Muchová, J.; Ďuračková, Z.; Trebatická, J. Oxidative stress markers and antioxidant enzymes in children and adolescents with depressive disorder and impact of omega-3 fatty acids in randomised clinical trial. Antioxidants, 2021, 10(8), 1256.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/antiox10081256] [PMID: 34439504]
[27]
Varghese, F.P.; Brown, E.S. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in major depressive disorder: A brief primer for primary care physicians. Prim. Care Companion J. Clin. Psychiatry, 2001, 3(4), 151-155.
[PMID: 15014598]

Rights & Permissions Print Cite
Article Metrics
8
Wayfinder Image
© 2024 Bentham Science Publishers | Privacy Policy